


Plain to see

by too_gaylynn_for_this



Category: Station 19 (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:54:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28390485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/too_gaylynn_for_this/pseuds/too_gaylynn_for_this
Summary: Maya gets an email out of the blue from the new tenant of her old apartment, causing her to have to run by to pick up mail that had accidentally been sent there. Enter Dr. Carina DeLuca.Slight AU – Maya’s still a firefighter at Station 19, Carina just moved to Seattle to work at Grey Sloan.
Relationships: Maya Bishop/Carina DeLuca
Comments: 23
Kudos: 269





	1. Chapter 1

Maya tries to tamp down her annoyance as she pulls up to her old apartment building. She had set up mail forwarding, but she had apparently forgot to change her address with her credit card company, so here she was, picking up her mail from the new tenant of her old apartment.

Luckily, she had only moved 10 minutes away, so it wasn’t too out of her way to stop and grab it after work. She was just getting off a particularly grueling shift, as they all seemed to be since she became captain and would have rather been getting ready to go to bed. Unfortunately, this was the only time the new tenant, a Dr. Carina DeLuca, was available this week and Maya needed her new credit card.

She knocked on her old front door and waited impatiently as she heard movement inside. All her willpower was spent not showing fatigue and tension on her face when the door swung open. As soon as she saw the new occupant, Maya was glad she was concentrating on keeping her face neutral, because her jaw might have hit the floor otherwise.

“Hi, you must be Maya?”

Maya gathers herself and straightens her shoulders from their slouched position. “Yeah, Captain Maya Bishop”, she offers with a handshake.

“Dr. Carina DeLuca” the other woman says as she accepts the handshake. They both look at each other over the handshake before Maya regains her composure and let’s go.

“So, you have some of my mail?”

“Si. Let me get it. Do you want to come in? You look dead on your feet.”

Maya laughs. “I am dead on my feet. I just finished a long shift at the fire station, and I just really want to get home.”

Carina nods in understanding before disappearing into the apartment. Maya lets out the breath she didn’t know she was holding as she leans against the door frame, grateful to have something to hold her upright.

Carina comes back with an envelope and sees Maya looking 10x more tired than when she walked away seconds ago.

“Ok, are you sure you don’t want to come in and sit for a minute? I am a doctor and I feel like I would be disregarding my duty if I let you leave looking this tired.”

Maya smiles. “That is very kind of you, but I promise I’ll be fine. I only live about 10 minutes away, and I’ve been more tired before and made it home just fine.”

Carina chews on her lip as she looks at the blond woman for a moment, “Fine. Here is your mail. If it’s not too much trouble, will you let me know when you get home? Just so I don’t have to worry about you.”

“You would worry about me? A complete stranger?”

“Si, it is required when you become a doctor. Caring about people is very much in the job description.”

“Fair enough,” Maya sighs. “I’ll… email you, I guess, since I have that.”

“Bene. Grazie. Get home safely, Captain Maya Bishop.”

“Thank you, and thanks for holding onto my mail, Dr. Carina DeLuca.”

“Call me Carina, please.”

“In that case, its Maya.” Maya gives a small salute with her mail as she turns and walks back to her car.

On the drive back to her new place, she couldn’t stop thinking about the doctor. Objectively, Maya thinks, Dr. Carina DeLuca might be the most beautiful woman she’s ever seen. And the accent added an element that Maya was definitely into. She didn’t even realize she was smiling until she got into bed and tried to settle down.

Maya drifted off into a dreamless sleep with the doctor still on her mind.

\----

When Maya woke up six hours later, she checked her phone to see she had half a dozen emails from that same doctor, and she realized with guilt that she was so busy thinking about Carina when she got home, she had forgotten to email her that she was safe.

The emails ranged from panicked, to annoyed, to mad, with the last one reading, ‘I have not heard of any over tired fire captains being brought into the ER, so you must be safe, and I’m going to assume asleep. Please text me when you wake up, so I can yell at you properly.’ The message was followed by a number which Maya immediately copied and opened up in her messaging app.

After staring at the screen for a few minutes, Maya let out a sigh of frustration. She knows how to message women. She considers herself very capable at flirting, and this should not be difficult. But there was a niggling doubt about Carina’s intentions. She had no reason to think the other woman was interested; she might just genuinely be worried because of her profession.

Maya decided to err on the side of caution and resolved to try for casual.

_I don’t know about any other tired fire captains, but this one is safe at home. In other news, I’m not tired anymore. Sorry I worried you, and thanks again for the mail._

Maya realized she didn’t say who she was as soon as she hit send. She was writing another text to do just that when she received a reply.

_I’m glad to hear you are safe and no longer a tired fire captain. Also, this is Maya, correct?_

_Haha, yes this is Maya._

_Bene, you have no idea how many tired fire captains I gave mail to yesterday._

Maya buried her head into her pillow as she laughed, charmed by the doctor’s sense of humor.

_Well on behalf of all us, thank you for your service._ Maya paused before deciding to go for it. _Can I thank you in person? Maybe over drinks?_

Maya watched the screen, hoping for another quick reply. When one didn’t come, she decided to get out of bed and go for a run. She checked her phone every few minutes as she got ready, leaving for her run a little disappointed since she still hadn’t heard back.

When she got home from her run, she felt self-doubt creeping in as she checked her phone for a response. She had a few texts from her team, but still nothing from the doctor.

Looking at her other texts, she saw an invite from Vic to grab drinks at Joe’s with Andy and Vic’s new doctor boyfriend. Maya thought about the reports she should get done before her next shift, but she knew she was too restless to be able to focus. She messaged Vic and Andy that she would be there and went to jump in the shower.

She tried not to look at her phone as she ate a small dinner and finished getting ready to go out. Maya almost messaged Carina again, taking the invite back, but she thought that might make it worse. At this point, she thought it would be better for her pride if Carina just ghosted her, but before she could get too down, she left to go meet her friends.

\----

Several drinks and a round of darts later, Maya was finally able to get her mind off the hot doctor… mostly. She was having a great time with her friends and was able to distract herself enough to not obsessively check her phone every two minutes, so she considered it a win.

Just as she was thinking about how she wasn’t thinking about Carina, the front door of Joe’s opened. Maya looked over just in time to see Carina walk in with a few doctors she recognized from Grey Sloan.

Maya felt herself tense; she wasn’t sure she was ready to face rejection in person. But then she reminded herself that she’s done much scarier things, and she was never one to run away so she waited to see if the doctor would notice her. She didn’t have to wait long, as she suddenly found herself making eye contact with the doctor, who’s face immediately lit up at seeing Maya.

As Carina walked over to her, Maya couldn’t help but think how pretty Carina’s smile was. She felt a little hope bloom in her chest as Carina closed the distance, smile growing wider.

“Maya, it is so good to see you.”

“Hey, yeah, good to see you. Are you a doctor at Grey Sloan?”

“Si, I just started a few weeks ago. Which is why I didn’t get a chance to reply to your text earlier. Just as I was getting ready to accept your invitation to drinks, I got called into an emergency surgery. And it has been nonstop since, so I am very glad to see you here.”

“So it seems like you are probably a very tired doctor now.”

“Mmm yes, I am pretty tired, but definitely not too tired to get a drink, if the offer still stands.”

Maya’s dimples came out as she smiled wide and gestured toward the bar, “lead the way.”


	2. Chapter 2

Maya was focused on finishing paperwork when she heard her office door close. She looked up and saw the cause for her recent distraction that had left her so behind on her reports.

“Carina, what are you doing here?”

“Hi bella, I heard from some of my colleagues that you guys had a busy night. I wanted to run by some lunch.”

Maya noticed the container in Carina’s hand and couldn’t help but smile. “Is that lasagna?”

“Mmhmm. I made it last night since you weren’t there to distract me.”

“Oh, I distract you?” Maya laughed, “I’m so far behind on filing these reports because you distract me.”

Carina laughed with her before pulling her into a kiss. It was crazy to Maya how much she enjoyed having the doctor around after barely knowing her for a week.

For not really being a date, the first night at Joe’s bar had been the best first date Maya had ever been on. And it didn’t even really have anything to do with the mind-blowing night they had spent at Carina’s after closing down the bar.

Maya didn’t know really know why, but she felt drawn to Carina in a way she had never felt before. It didn’t help that Carina was also funny, smart, and considerate. All things considered, Maya shouldn’t have been surprised that she had caught herself daydreaming about the Italian at the most inconvenient times over the last few days. 

It was unnerving, if she thought too much about it, but with Carina’s lips making their way down her neck, she pushed down all her doubts and insecurities and decided to enjoy the unexpected encounter. She quickly captured the taller woman’s lips again and was trying to remind herself she was work when there was a knock on the door. The women pulled apart and Maya tried to get her breathing under control as she called out, “yeah?”

Warren opened the door with an apology, and a request to talk about one of their responses to get feedback on how he could improve. Maya agreed to meet him in a minute in the beanery, and Carina pouted as Warren left to go wait upstairs.

Maya pressed a gentle kiss against Carina’s lips as an apology.

“As much as I enjoyed this, and you, I am at work.”

“Lo so,” Carina sighed, stealing one last small kiss. “Enjoy your lunch.”

“Can I see you later?”

“Definitely. Do you want to come over?”

“Yeah, I think I remember where you live.”

“Cheeky.” Carina laughed. “See you later, bella.”

Maya watched Carina leave and had to take a minute to get the dopey smile off her face before she went to talk to Warren. She sighed as she left her office and hoped for a manageable day that ended on time.

\----

‘But of course,’ Maya thinks as she knocks on Carinas door an hour and half after she said she’d be there, ‘things never go to plan.’

Maya makes sure the wine she brought as an apology is visible as the door swings open. She breathes a sigh of relief when she sees Carina smiling.

“I’m so sorry-” she begins before Carina pulls her close and cuts her off with her lips.

Maya’s a little breathless by the time Carina pulls back.

“Don’t apologize. Come in. Is that for me?” Carina says, noticing the bottle for the first time.

Maya follows the taller woman into her old apartment as she tells her about the end of her shift. “It is. It’s a sorry – of sorts – because I am sorry for being late, but there was literally a kitten stuck in a tree. The good news is we saved the kitten; the plot twist is it was not a little girl waiting on the ground, but a very beefy, heavily tattooed dude who made the most concerning baby noises when I handed the fur ball over. It was a weird end to a long day, hence – wine.”

“Well thank you, this is one of my favorite kinds.” 

Maya smiled as she leaned into the doctor for another kiss. It was longer, and slower than she meant it to be, and Carina pulled back with a sigh.

“You seem tired.”

“I didn’t realize it until now, but I really am. But I also want to hang out with you. I’m not sure I’m going to be great company, though.” Maya replied.

“Impossible, you’re always good company. I’ll tell you what, how about I heat you up some leftover soup from dinner, and we watch a show.”

“That actually sounds really good.”

“Bene.”

\----

So, it turns out, spending more time with the tall, ridiculously attractive doctor did not help get Maya’s mind off the woman. That thought was fleeting as she worked to not look excited as they transported a patient to Grey-Sloan and Maya found herself hoping she could she Carina, even just in passing.

It had been a few days since they had dinner and watched a show at Carina’s place, and Maya felt like she should be more worried than she currently was. It was the first time since their first encounter that nothing physical had happened between them. Maya had even spent the night, but other than a brief make out as they got into bed, the pair had just cuddled as they fell asleep.

It had been… nice, Maya thought. Even though Carina had made her watch the Masked Singer, it had overall been a pleasant way to spend an evening. But now its been four days since she’s really talked to Carina and she misses her. Maya is trying not to think about that too hard when she’s pulled out of her thoughts by Andy.

“What’s going on over there? I’ve never seen so many expressions cross your face in such a short amount of time before.”

Maya sighs, knowing her best friend is going to be mad at her for not telling her about Carina sooner. “Do you remember a few weeks ago when we went to Joe’s?”

“And you ditched us for the hot doctor? Vividly.”

“Right, well her name is Carina and we’re kind of… seeing each other.” Maya knows if they didn’t have a patient in the back, Andy would have slammed the brakes. The look on Herrera’s face made Maya very glad they both had to be professional at the moment.

“Hold up – Maya ‘monogamy is for the weak’ Bishop is in a relationship?”

“I said-”

“Oh, I heard you, but ‘kind of seeing someone’ for you is a full blown relationship for anyone else. Let me have this.”

Maya sighs. “So anyways. We had met once before we ran into each other at Joe’s and things have progressed from there. She works at Grey-Sloan, and I’m… maybe hoping to run into her.”

“Captain Bishop!”

“I know, I know.”

“This is huge news. I should call Travis. No, I’ll call Vic first, she’s more likely to get the news out there.”

“Please don’t. Look, I know this seems like a big deal, but honestly, we just hang out sometimes. And have mind-blowing sex. And sometimes we don’t. It’s not… its nothing.”

“You are on shift and hoping to run into her at the hospital. Sorry, Bishop, but that’s not nothing.”

Maya blushed but also relaxed slightly as they pulled into the ambulance bay. She met Andy at the back of the aid car and before they opened the doors she asked, “If we see her, can you be cool? Because if you can’t be cool, I will take this patient in myself and you can wait right here.”

“I can be cool, I’m so cool. I definitely won’t try to take pictures to show Vic and Travis later.”

Maya huffs and pulls the aid car doors open, debating if she should try to pull rank and make Andy behave. But the pair of them were finally back on good terms, so instead she resigned herself to what would likely be relentless teasing for the rest of her shift.

Hopefully she would see Carina to make it all worth it.

\----

She did not see Carina at the hospital, so needless to say Maya was extra cranky by the time she got off shift after hearing hours and hours of ribbing from the crew. It was both a blessing and a curse that it had been a slow shift, and Maya was ready to go home and just enjoy some silence for a while. 

She was imaging an ideally quiet morning followed by blissful sleep when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She slightly hated herself for the smile that instantly crossed her face seeing it was from Carina, asking if she wanted to grab breakfast before the doctor went into work.

A few texts back and forth later and Maya got in her car and headed toward the diner that was halfway between the station and hospital.

Carina had beat her there and was sitting in a booth near the back. Maya leaned down for a kiss before taking a seat across from the doctor.

“Ciao bella. You look… annoyed.”

“What? I’m not.”

“Oh, you get this vein that pops out in your forehead when you are annoyed. And I hate to tell you this but it is… popping right now.”

Maya rubbed her forehead with a soft laugh. “It must be residual annoyance. I told Andy about you today which then meant endless comments and teasing from the team for the whole shift. I was ready to get out of there at the end of my shift.”

Carina laughed in sympathy. “What did you tell Andy about me?”

“I told her that we’re… seeing each other.”

Carina hummed low in her throat.

Maya sighed, feeling a familiar sense of resignation. “We had to drop a patient off at Grey-Sloan yesterday and I was hoping to see you. She knows me too well and knew something was up. She remembers me ditching her and Vic at Joe’s that first night to hang out with you and she was… oddly delighted to hear me say we’re involved.”

“Is that all we are? Involved?”

Maya was saved from answering by the waiter who came over to drop off their drinks. When he had left after taking their orders, Maya bought herself some time by taking a drink of her coffee before replying. “I don’t really do… involved very often. I know that I like spending time with you, really like it, but I don’t know where to go from here, I guess. Involved, for me, seems comfortable for the time being.”

Carina takes a long look at the fire captain before answering. “Bene. Involved, with room to grow, perhaps?”

Maya flashed her dimples at Carina and toasted with her coffee cup. “Definitely with room to grow.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya and Carina celebrate New Year's Eve.

Maya had never been one to have a date for New Years Eve. For the last few years, she’d had pretty good luck going to a bar and ringing in the new year with a complete stranger, but she'd never made plans for a date or wanted to ring in the new year with anyone in particular.

As she put on the final touches to her makeup and then put on her suit jacket, she thought about the previous years where her overwhelming emotion on new year’s had been loneliness. Even surrounded by people, with someone to go back to her place with, she’d never felt that excitement that so many people feel when welcoming in the new year.

Looking at herself in the mirror one last time, she already knew it was going to be a better New Year’s Eve than any other for at least the last ten years.

In the car, Maya felt her thoughts shift to the Italian beauty she was on her way to pick up. She couldn’t believe the luck of both of them being off for the holiday, but she was certainly grateful for it.

They had had a few bumps in the road as of late. Their busy schedules had turned out to be the least of their issues; they had almost called it quits right before Christmas when both of their dads had unexpectedly come into town.

They had both pushed each other away and lashed out anytime they talked to each other for a few days. Finally fed up with their attitudes Carina had called a détente and opened up to the Captain about her father and the chaos that always followed the oldest Dr. DeLuca. In turn, Maya also opened up about her father and the realization that he wasn’t just hard on her but was actually abusive and always had been.

Maya thought that it should have made her feel itchy to open up to someone like that, but instead it had been a relief. She also thought she should feel itchy at the fact that after that conversation, she had asked Carina to be her girlfriend, but she only felt pure happiness. Maya still felt a little lightheaded when she thought about how Carina’s face had lit up as she answered yes.

A honk from the car behind her pulled Maya out of her musings. Seeing the light had turned green, she cursed her inattention and pulled out into the intersection.

But it didn’t take long before her mind was on her girlfriend again.

Now she was thinking about her last shift, which had been during the biggest blizzard Seattle had seen in a decade. The station had been packed with citizens seeking shelter from the storm, including Miller’s girlfriend. When JJ went into labor, Maya gained a new respect for her girlfriend who she was extra grateful had been available to FaceTime her through a lot of the process.

It had given her a chance to see the doctor at work, which had been eye opening to say the least. The masturbation suggestion had thrown her off a little bit, but Maya had later learned that it was something the doctor suggested to a lot of patients, and it made Maya fall for her even more.

She was smiling thinking about how funny it must be to hear Carina suggesting women should masturbate to help with the pain of labor when she finally pulled up to her old apartment. Stepping out the car, she straightened her jacket and made her way up to her old front door.

The door opened as she got near to it and Maya stumbled. The Italian doctor was beautiful always, but dressed up like she was, in a black dress with her hair in Maya’s favorite loose waves, made it hard for Maya to swallow around her dry tongue.

“Wow” the said in unison.

“Bella, you look amazing.” Carina said, with an adoring smile.

“Me?” Maya laughed. “You look… you look… you’re…”

Carina smiled, pulling the shorter woman in for a kiss. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you speechless before.”

“I just hid it behind brooding mystery before. You make me speechless all the time.”

Carina laughed again before sneaking another kiss. “Do you want to come in?”

Maya took a step back. “I do but then we will never leave. We have dinner reservations and I told Miller to expect us at his place around 9.”

“Bene. Let me get my things.”

\----

‘Carina’ Maya thought, ‘Should only ever be seen in candlelight.’

Looking across a candlelit table at her girlfriend, Maya didn’t think she’d ever been more content than she was in that moment. Between the wine, the atmosphere, and the company, it was a pretty perfect evening, a thought which old Maya would have scoffed at.

But new Maya? New Maya who opened up to her friends, who acknowledged her feelings and was willing to talk through conflict? New Maya leaned into the happiness and sense of contentment, and the connection she had with the woman sitting across from her.

“What are you thinking about, bella?”

Maya sighed and took a sip of wine. “You. And us. And being here. In this perfect moment.”

Carina smiled and raised her glass to toast the blond. “You are perfect. And very beautiful. And I am very happy to be here with you, in this moment.”

Maya touched her glass to the doctors and took another drink before she scooted around the table to kiss her girlfriend.

They were interrupted by the waiter bringing their meals, and Maya sheepishly moved back to her side of the table.

After they finished their meals and their plates were cleared, Maya leaned forward and took the brunettes hand.

“Thank you for being my date tonight.” Maya said, kissing the hand she held.

“Certo, bella.”

“You know how people like to use New Years to reflect on the year, and make plans and hopes for the next one?”

“Si.”

“Well, not to be too cheesy, but you made this year one worth reflecting on. And for the first time, I want to have hope for the next year, and I really want to make plans... with you. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is – thank you. I-”

“I love you, Maya.” Carina interrupted.

“What-”

“Wait, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to spring that on you. I know you still want to take things slower, but you’re being so romantic, and I just couldn’t-”

“I love you, too.” Maya said, getting up and crouching down in front of Carina and pulling her into a passionate kiss. They pulled back after a moment, conscious of being in public. “I want to be mad at you for beating me to the punch, because I wanted to say it first. I love you. So much.”

Carina pulls her back into the kiss, which is again interrupted by their waiter. “I have your dessert.”

Maya thanks him before moving her chair around to sit closer to Carina.

“Maya, what dessert is this? We didn’t order anything.”

“I called ahead and asked if they made Pandoro. They didn’t know what it was,” Maya laughed, “but they have an excellent dessert chef who was willing to help me out.”

“Oh, Maya.”

“I know you’re missing home, and I just wanted to do something to-”

“Its perfect, thank you.” Carina beamed at Maya before pressing their lips together. “Do you want to try it?”

Maya laughed and accepted the fork offered to her before taking a bite. “Wow, that’s really good.”

Carina hummed her agreement after taking a bite. “How did you know about Pandoro?”

“You mentioned it the other day when we were making these plans. You talked about all of the traditions your family does on New Years Eve and how you hadn’t been back for the holidays in a while.”

Carina took a long look at her girlfriend. “I didn’t think you were-”

“Listening?” Maya laughed.

“No, I just… it wasn’t that important.”

“You’re important to me. Its all important.”

Carina pulled Maya in for another kiss, keeping it brief for those around them. “I love you. We need to leave this restaurant before we scandalize all these people.”

Maya flashed her dimple with a quick laugh, grateful that the waiter had just brought the check. “Maybe I should move back to my side of the table. We still have a party to get through.” 

“No, you stay, I can control myself.”

“I have my doubts about that.” Maya replied as she felt the doctors hand slide up her thigh.

\----

By the time Maya and Carina got to the houseboat, the party was in full swing. There was a loud chorus of “Maya!” “Hey Cap” “Its Maya and Carina”, as the couple entered, and they were immediately engulfed by all their favorite Station 19 people.

Maya took in her surroundings, feeling joy bloom in her chest as she saw her team enjoying the evening and having a good time together.

She accepted a drink from Miller and chatted with him as Carina moved around the room, saying hi to those who she knew and introducing herself to those she didn’t.

A few minutes later, Carina had made her first circuit around the room and ended up back with Maya, who was now talking to Andy. They spoke with Andy for a few minutes before the lieutenant got a call from Sullivan and stepped outside to take it.

Maya and Carina found themselves alone in the kitchen, or as alone as they could be in an open floor plan, and moved closer together, just quietly enjoying each other’s presence. They had been in the kitchen for a few minutes when Vic came over.

“Anyone ever tell you that you two can get it?” Vic said, whistling at the couple.

Maya laughed as Carina looked at Vic with confusion. “I’m sorry, what can we get?”

Almost spitting her drink out, Maya swallowed harshly before laughing harder. “Its an expression. It means we’re hot.”

Vic nodded. “So hot. If I swung that way, I’d be all about the two of you.”

The three women were laughing when Andy returned. “What’s so funny?”

“How hot those two are.” Vic replied.

Andy looked confused before going to make another drink. “Do you guys want to play a drinking game? Maybe a little bit of ‘Never Have I Ever’?”

Vic groaned, “Noooooo,” as Travis yelled from across the room, “NEVER HAVE I EVER!”

45 minutes later, half the team was trashed while the other half laughed at them.

“Dean and Travis are not going to make it to midnight.” Maya laughed.

“ITS NOT MIDNIGHT YET?” Travis yelled from his spot on the floor, causing everyone to burst out into laughter.

“Its barely 11, you Travis-ty.” Vic nudged Maya. “Travis-ty. Travesty. Haha, get it?” causing Maya to burst out laughing again.

“That was so bad it was funny.” Maya laughed before she looked around the room. Her eyes stopped on Carina, currently chatting with Miller’s date.

She couldn’t help but think, again, how beautiful the taller woman was. Maya was lost in thought when the object of her affection made eye contact. They observed each other from across the room when an inebriated Vic dropped down onto the couch next to Maya.

“Girl, what are you still doing here?” Vic asked, slurring her words a little.

Andy, hearing the question, scooted closer to the pair. “Seriously, Maya, the way she looks, shoot the way you look, and they way you’re looking at each other. I would have left an hour ago.”

  
  
Maya laughed, only slightly uncomfortable. “We’ve only been here for an hour. Plus, its New Years Eve, capital NYE, we’re supposed to be out and about. And I’m having a great time with you all.”

“Screw us all.” Andy said.

“Yes, please.” Vic interjected before Andy continued.

“You’re ‘supposed’ to be doing what you want to be doing and what you want to be doing is wearing a little black dress and talking to Miller’s girl.”

“Hey-”

“You know I didn’t mean it like that.” Andy defended.

“Yes, she did.” Vic drunkenly contributed before being shushed by the other two women.

“Maya, go be with your girl. Alone. Please, for me.” Andy pleaded.

Maya sighed before getting up off the couch. “Be safe you two. No driving.”

She heard some kind of agreement from Vic and Andy as she approached her girlfriend. She walked up to Carina, and took the opportunity to put her hands around the taller woman’s waist as Millers date walked away.

“So, Andy and Vic actually had a great idea.”

“Oh, yeah?” Carina asked as she leaned in for a kiss.

Maya hummed into the kiss, and only pulled back when the team started whooping and cat calling them.

“Do you want to get out of here? Maybe go back to my place?” Maya asked, quietly. 

“Hmmmm, do I want to be alone with you? On New Years Eve? That is all I want, bella.” Carina nodded.

Maya smiled, and turned around ready to say bye to the team when she noticed they were all distracted by Travis who had somehow gotten up off the floor and was trying to Irish dance.

“Let’s go, before they notice.”

The two women giggled as they slipped away from their friends, holding hands as they rushed to the car.

By the time they made the trip to Maya’s place, between traffic and general New Year’s Eve tomfoolery, it was nearing midnight. 

One year rolled into the next without notice from Maya or Carina, who chose instead to focus on each other. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new years y'all! I hope everyone stays safe and has as happy as possible of a new year! 
> 
> Thank you for all the comments and kudos! To everyone who says they can't wait to see where this goes, I am right there with you! I imagined the meet-cute of getting the old tenants mail, and that's basically where the idea stopped, so I'm just kind of going with it. I'm trying to stick-ish to canon, while ignoring the things I don't particularly like, but mostly I'm just obsessed with these two right now. I mostly just want to give Maya the happiness she deserves. 
> 
> So here, have some fluff. 
> 
> Many thanks for reading. 
> 
> -G


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some fluff.

Maya missed Carina. The COVID-19 pandemic had hit Seattle, and everything stopped, including the two women’s ability to see each other.

It had been three weeks since the pandemic had sent Seattle into quarantine. The two women agreed that since Maya was a first responder and Carina was working in the hospital, it would be best for them to quarantine separately. The last few weeks had been full of texts and FaceTime, including a few that had gotten delightfully not safe for work… but Maya just wanted to see the Italian doctor.

She told her as much when they FaceTimed one day and got a swift rebuttal.

“Bambina, it’s not safe.”

“I know, I know. It’s just, this whole thing is so stressful. At the beginning, it felt like things might be returning to normal by now, and in reality, the end is nowhere in sight. So, what are we supposed to do? Just not see each other ever?” Maya said, uncharacteristically getting emotional.

“Si, you are right, this has been hard. And it will likely continue to be hard for a while, if what we are seeing in the hospital is any indication.”

Maya groaned. “I’m so selfish. You know better than I do the toll this is taking.”

“Do not minimize your grief, Maya. You have an incredibly important and equally stressful job in normal times, and this is not normal.”

“You’re right. I’m just tired of being alone all the time when I’m not at work.”

“I hear you, bella, and I feel the exact same.” Carina paused as she checked her pager. “I’m not hanging up on you because I don’t want to talk, but I’m getting paged, so I have to go. I love you.”

“Good luck, I love you too.”

Maya leaned back in her chair as the call ended and looked around her office. She was still thinking about how much she missed her girlfriend when the alarm went off, and then all she thought about was the job.

\----

The job this time was corralling a tiger that had gotten loose from the backyard it was kept in. Corralling might not be the right word since somehow the tiger ended up at Station 19, and all they had to do was stay out of the barn for a bit, but Maya decided to go with it.

She was on the phone with the battalion chief to brief him on the situation as she walked into her office, hearing the door close behind her. Maya turned to see her beautiful girlfriend masked and looking slightly mischievous. Hanging up the phone, Maya grabbed a mask off her desk and looked at Carina.

“Are you really here or am I just really tired?” Maya, situating her mask.

“Both, I’m guessing.”

“What?”

“I missed you. And I thought a lot of what we talked about earlier. I am so tired of being alone-”

“Move in with me.” Maya interrupted.

“What?”

“I didn’t want you to get to beat me to the punch this time so please let me finish.” Maya pleaded.

Carina nodded in agreement, seemingly smiling under her mask. Maya took a step back, creating enough distance for them both to take their masks off and see the other smile.

“If I’m being honest, I’m been thinking about asking you to move in with me for a while. Since before the pandemic really. Mostly because hanging out at my old apartment has been really weird. I moved out for a reason, you know.” Maya jokes. “Kidding. I’ve never done this with someone before and I’m kind of really nervous, but I want to be with you all the time, pandemic or not. So please, move in with me?”  
  


Carina grinned. “Actually, I came here to ask you the same thing.”

Somehow they both smiled wider.

Carina’s grin turn sly. “I was hoping we can move into my place though.”

Maya moaned as Carina laughed and said she was kidding. Carina then pulled out rapid COVID tests from where they’d been hidden behind her back. “I’ll do yours, if you do mine.”

“How do you make even nasal swabbing sound sexy?” Maya wondered, making the other woman laugh.

\----

What Maya had said was true: she’d never moved in with a significant other before. And honestly it was going better than either of them expected. A lot of Carina’s stuff was still strewn all over the place, much to Maya’s dismay, but they had been having fun organizing together.

It was hard at first for Maya to make space for the Italian, but once they’d had a discussion (ok a fight) about Maya not accommodating Carina, that resulted in Maya remembering that she wanted the doctor to be around and comfortable, things started going much smoother.

With the added benefit of breakfast. Really delicious, bordering on gourmet, breakfast.

A few months into cohabitating, the couple was enjoying a delicious breakfast of French toast when Maya’s phone dinged. She checked it to see a new email and groaned as she read it.

“What’s wrong?” The Italian asked.

Maya hesitated. “I got an email… from the new tenant of… your, well our, old apartment saying there’s mail there for me.”

Carina paused, stuck between amusement and annoyance. “Is the mail important enough that we have to go get it?”  
  
“We?”  
  


“You think I’m just going to let you go get your mail and fall for someone else? Not happening.”

Maya laughed and moved around the table to pull the doctor out of her seat and into the blondes’ arms. “I really think that was a once in a lifetime kind of event.” She said before pulling Carina into a kiss.

Carina pulled away, not allowing the blond to distract her. “That may be true but I will be going with you to make sure of it.”

Maya laughed, conceding to her girlfriend. “Fair enough. Lets see if we can go pick it up at lunch time and then I’ll take you to that vegan place you love.”

\----

Carina was ready to for lunch when they pulled up to her, well also Maya’s, kind of their old apartment. Not wanting the blond to be alone with whoever the new tenant was, the Italian got out of the car and grabbed the shorter woman’s hand as they walked up to the building.

“This possessive thing is kind of hot, babe.”

“I am not being possessive. I just like holding your hand.”

“Sure.” Maya smiled as she swung their joined hands.

Carina expected Maya to knock on their old front door but instead the captain bent down and pulled a key out from under the front mat.

“What are you doing?” Carine asked, slightly alarmed.

Maya nervously looked at the Italian and replied, “Um, you’ll see.” Before unlocking the front door.

“Maya-” Carina began to question as the blond pulled her into the apartment, stopping when she noticed the apartment was empty except for a bunch of lit candles and a blanket on the living room floor. Maya continued to pull Carina in the direction of the living room as Carina took in her surroundings some more, also noticing a picnic basket and flower petals strewn on the floor.

“Maya, what is this?” Carina asked, getting over the shock.

“So, I spoke with the landlord the other day and she said this place hadn’t been rented out yet, so I thought I might use it to do this.”

“Do what?” Carina asked, looking back at the blond after finishing looking around the empty apartment.

What she saw made her heart jump in her chest.

Maya was on one knee holding a ring box, heart also in her chest. “I wanted to bring you back here, to where it all started. I never expected that when I had to come pick up my mail, I would meet the love of my life. I was so annoyed I had to come here that day, and it ended up being one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. I love you. Will you-”

“Marry me!” Carina shouted over Maya’s declaration.

“Hey, I was asking you that!”

“Well now I’m asking you.” Carina replied as she also got down on one knee, pulling a ring box out of her purse which she then dropped on the floor. “You are a brat, and I can’t believe I almost let you beat me to this.”  
  
“I did beat you to this, I already-”

“No, I asked you.”

Maya started laughing, which the doctor quickly joined. They collected themselves after a few moments.

“Together? On three?” Maya asked, receiving a nod from Carina.

“One. Two. Three.”

“Will you marry me?” They asked together.

“Yes.” They both laughed, before pulling each other into a kiss.

As they pulled back, both admiring the rings they’d gotten for each other, Maya couldn’t help but be grateful she forgot to change her address and all the events since.

Life is weird, but love is not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! This was fun to write, and I really appreciate the kudos and comments.


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